Artists' Quarter, Minneapolis/St. Paul

National acts pack out this venue on the weekends, but you can catch some excellent local talent during the week and avoid the crowds. The musical menu is straight-up jazz. Occupying the basement of an antique stone building on the edge of Lowertown, this subterranean club brings to mind New York's Village Vanguard. In fact, it was deliberately modeled after the world-class jazz club. The Quarter features an excellent selection of specialty beers, wine and other alcoholic beverages.